Key blank holding cabinet



-5, 1935- L. G. w. MORGAN 1,990l31 KEY BLANK HOLDING CABINET Filed April 10, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 1 i L .LZM/Vorfan Sitar/M Fe 5, 1935- L. G. w. MORGAN 1,990,131

KEY BLANK HOLDING CABINET Filed April 10, 1954' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L.6. [Almeria 12 Snow;

Feb. 5, 1935.

L. G. w. MORGAN 1,990,131

KEY BLANK HOLDING CABINET Filed April 10, 1934 s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Feb, 5,1935 I UNITED STATS a:

f KEY BLANK HOLDING CABINET f Lennie G. W: Morgan, Bonham, Tex. Application A il 10, 1934, Serial No. 719,972

' aolaimsg (01. 312- 183) This .invention relates to devices for holding from but prevent the keys from falling 01f of the key blanks in systematic order and particularly clasp .even when the clasp is opened and which is to a cabinet for this purpose. I iurtherd so constructed that while it may be e I-Ieretofore key blanks in a locksmiths shop or detached from the leaf upon which it is mounted, I other placewhere keys are formed have been kept this detachment can only occur after a' proper. 5

in compartmented drawers or in bundles on hooks manipulation of the clasp.

oFFlcE against the wall, thus permitting the. keyblanks ther objects will appear in the course of the y to be readily misplaced and mixed up or a whole following description. i drawer full to become pied or if hung on hooks Myinvention is illustrated in the accompany- I permitting thedisplacement of the blanks or their ing drawings, wherein:- 1

interchange. i Figure l is a top plan view of the cabinet;

Furthermore, the hooks did not permit a suffi- Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof,

ciently large assortment of key blanks to be kept the leaves being shownin top plan view; I with any economy of space even where the key Figure 3 is a fragmentary section'on the line blanks themselvesare supported in bunches on 3-3 of Figure 1; I 1 the hooks; I Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FigureZ; The general object of my inventionis to pro- Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of vide a cabinet for this purpose which, while holdone of the main leaves and the supplementary ing a large assortment of blanks for convenient leaves hinged thereto; i

access, is yet particularly compact. Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section 20 Another object is to provide a cabinet so conthrough the base of the cabinet andthroughthe structed that any desired blank may be readily l 'v 'g' t haft; found or put back by reference to index numbers Figure *7 is a vertical sectional View" on the line associated with the various leaves of the cabinet 7--'? of Figure 4; V I 5 and in this connection to provide means for re- Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of i taining in the cabinet an index or catalogue of one of the leaves with the clasp thereon, the clasp the blanks so that this will not become lost or being closed; I misplaced. a Figure 9 is a like View to Figure 8 but showing A further object is to provide a cabinet of this the clasp opened and raised;

character having a circular outer casing, a ,cen- Figure 10 is aperspective view of a pocket'which' 30f tral shaft and a plurality oi leavesiswingingly may be detachably connected to the leaf by the mounted upon the central shaft so that they same means used for holding the clasp; f may be crowded against each other while one leaf Figure 11 is a perspective view of a different is being used, the cabinet having a circumferenform of pocket; x tially extending door permitting access to the Figure 12 is an elevation of a memorandum or 35 interior but capable of being closed and locked bill clamp which is capable of being mounted to prevent unauthorized meddling with the conupon the leaf in place of either the clasp or pocket. tents. Referring to these drawings, 10 designates a A further objectin this connection is to probase of wood, metal or any other suitable material vide each main leaf of the cabinet-witha pair of and 11 designates the outer casing having a top 40" hinged leaves, oneon each side of the main leaf 12. This outer casing; at its lower end surrounds which, whenthe main leaf is brought around to a basal element 13 of wood orother suitable'mae,

' the door opening, maybe readily openedout so terial insertedinto a recess in the base 10. The, thataccess may be had to these hinged leaves and lower edge of the sheet metal-l1 is held .tothe] the keys supported thereon, the main leaf and element 13 by screws or like; means and; the bot- ,45n

the hinged'supplernentary leaves carrying key tom 14 is held to thiselem'ent 13 by screws. As

blanks which are'in some-wayrelated to each shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer casingis' other. l I cylindrical inform but is formed witha door A still further objectis to provide means on the [opening 15 which is preferablyequal in length'to several leaves for supporting pockets in which approximatelya quarter of the circumference of 50' the keys may be kept, pockets in, which memo-" the casing. Extending through the center of the randa may be kept orparticularlyclasps orclips casing is a shaft 16, the lower end of which is upon which the key blanks may be kept, these 1- screw-threadedand extends through the elements clasps or clips being so constructed as to permit 10 and '13 and is provided with a nutlTI. The

the'ready intentionalremoval of .the keysthere upper end of this shaft is also screw-threaded at 4, r shaft 16.

these flanges being.

' V 31, the shanks extending perforations and being formed to prevent their removal from the per- 18, passes through the top 12 of the casing and is provided with a nut 19. [Surrounding this shaft and extending through the casing is a sleeve 20 which at its lower end rests upon the bearing balls 21, the shaft having a skirt 22 engaged by a nut 23. The door 24 shown in Figure 4 is arcuate in form to conform to the curvature of the casing and is provided with the upper and lower sector-shaped supporting members 25. and 26, the member25 being provided with a collar 27 engaging around the upper end of the shaft and the ing is provided with a like flange 29 so that the door may be locked closed by the passage of a hasp of a look through these flanges. I

Th'eupper andlowerends of the sleeve 20 are provided with, outwardly projecting flanges 30, perforated at relatively close intervals. Extending through the perforations of the upper flange 30 are the, shanks of wire loops downwardthrough the headed or otherwise The loops 31 forations. are thus disposed radially around the shaftor sleeve.

Adapted to beengaged with'the lower flange 30 and supported by the loops .31 are a plurality of main leaves 32 of sheet metalleaf 32 is formed to provide a downwardly extending pin or stud 34 (see Figure: 6) which is inserted in a perforation in the lower flange 3i).

' It will thus be seen that each leaf 32 is mounted for swinging movement relative to the other leaves and that all of the leaves are mounted for rotationalmovement with the sleeve 20 around the Intermediate the several main leaves are spacer leaves 35. Thus these spacer leaves 35 separate each main leaf from an adjacent main leaf. In

addition to thespacer leaves and thekey support-v ing leaves 32, I also provide one or more leaves 36 whichcan take the place of the spacer leaves35 in separating two adjacent key supporting leaves a from each other, these leaves 36 being arranged as will be later describedto hold indexes, catalogues or thelike. a

At the upper and lower ends of each leaf 32, outwardly projecting ears '37 are formed and hingedly engaging these ears 37 are supplementary or hinged leaves .38, there beinga hinged leaf 38 on each side of amain leaf 32; The leaves 38 are angularin when desired, the hinge connection, however, permitting the leaves=38 to be moved out intoa right ang'ular relati n to the main leaf 32 when numeral or other index character and the hinged leaves 38 associated with each main leaf 32 carry upon them like shields or tabs 39 but having theletters -fL and R thereon respectively for left and right. t

For the purpose of supporting keys upon these member 26 as shown in Figure 6 engag-'- ing around the skirt 22 and being held in place by Each of. these leaves adjacent its upper inside'corner' is formed- 'topplanview as shown in Figures2 and 5 so that the leaves 32 and 38 will be held in parallel relation to each other leaves 32 and 38 and preferably upon both faces of the leaves, I provide eyes 40, the shanks of which extend through the leaves as shown in Figure 7; These eyes arejarranged in pairs upon the leaf and it will be seen-from Figure 7 that there will be eyes on each side of the leaf; These eyes may be conveniently formed by cotterpins insorted through openings, in the leaf or sheet,1 the legs of the cotter pin being then bent on one side to form an eye opposed tothe regular eye of the cotter pin. This is shown in Figure 7.

r The eyes arespaced at regular distances apart and adapted to be engaged with these eyes are key supporting slips of wire, one of which is shown in Figure;.8 and designated 41. Each, key supporting clip has a supporting bar 42 adapted to be passed through the .eyes 40, the clip being rectangular, in form'to provide'a lower bar 43 upon which the keys are supported and provide an upwardlyextending end portion 44 'hookedat its extremity to hook over the bar 42. .These clips are made of resilient wire so thatwhen the portion 44 is unhooked from the bar 42, the clip will open, but it will be seen that when the clip is opened as shown in Figure 9, the keys cannot slip off of the clip. This is shown in Figure 4. Each key must be deliberately removed from its clip and even thoughthe clips be left accidentaly open, the keys will not drop off and become mixed up;

I The extremity of the bar 42 is angularly bent as at 45, this angularly bent portion 45 actingto obstruct or prevent the longitudinal movement of the bar 42 through the eyes 'unless the clip is deliberately turned upward to: the I position shown in Figure 9 with the portion against the leaf 32 or 38 as the 'case may be. 7

While I have designedthe clip 41 as'the best and most convenient; manner of supporting a number of key blanks;yet, as shown in Figure 10,

a pocket 46 may be used for this purpose formed of sheet metal or other material andhaving key slots 47in the back thereof spaced a sufficient distance apart so that theeyes 40"may be inserted through the key hole slotsand then the eyes turned as to'lock the pocket in place.

In Figurell I have shown another means which may be used for supporting any flat articles which.

are indexed to be found in such a numbered receptacle, these receptacles carrying numbers or letters. This pocket whiohis designated 48 may be formed of metal orany other, material, the back is provided with the key hole slots 47 as previously described and the pocket is divided into a plurality of compartments by vertical partitions 49 U In Figure 12, I show a spring clamp which may be readily disposed in pocket 46 or the pocket 48, this clamp consisting of a single piece of wire'bent to form the clamping portion 50, "the springs 51, the laterally extending shanks 52 which are adapted to extend place of the clips 41, the

through the eyes 40 and the upwardly extending,

portions 53 of the shanks whi'ch'are adapted to bear against-the leaf so that. when the clamp portion is pulled outward, the resilience of the ment of the clamp. These clamps 50 may be con- ..venientlyused' for holding memoranda, bills or particular blanks supported on any'particular leaf. c i f It will be seen from Figure 4 that numerals are thelike which may relate to the placed upon the leaf in association with, each particular clip 41,1these numerals indicating the consecutiveholder locations on that particular it being intendended to file "This is for the reason he opened preventing mits it'or'remove leaves so as I or partitions 35 prevent the.

.key blanks will be supported on opposite faces of the leaves 32 or 38 so that one set of three leaves may support a very large number of key blanks,

keys without relation to each other but relying solely on the pictured blank in the catalogue being properly indexed and numbered so as to show on whichleaf and on which'holder the particular blank may be found.

' That portion of each main leaf 32 rearward of the hinged connection with the lateral leaves 38' may also be used for carrying rner'noranda' or the like by the provision of hooks 55 extending through the main leaf as shown in Fig. 5. The leaves 36 are particularly designed for the purpose of suppricelists or other data relat- These leaves 36 have attached side an angularly bent sheet of porting catalogues, ing to key blanks. to them on each metal designated 56 which constitutesa compartment or compartments extending parallel to the sheet 36. The space defined by the wall 56 may be divided into two compartments by a partition 57 shown in dotted lines in Thus data relating to the key blanks or looks for which the key blanks are to be made, etc., may be kept associated with the key blanks in the cabinet.

It will be seen that I have provided a cabinet wherein thousands of keys may be kept in'regular order without danger of becoming intermixed.

that whenlany key is desired, it is necessary to openone of the clips and detach the particular clips, if necessary, the fact that the clips have to carelessness in putting the blank back. Where there are. simply compartmented drawers or hooks, the key is liable to be thrown into the compartment without the necessity of this deliberate finding of the correct clip. Whilethe clips can be removedfrom the respective leaves, yet because of the dimculty'of removing the clip, it is not likely that the clip will be removed ,accidently or without deliberate fo-re thought for a good reason as the key blank may be readily removed from the clip without removing the clip from the leaf. i

With this cabinet, it is an easy matter to add leaves. assuming thatzthe size of the cabinet perto have no empty oruseless leaves within the cabinet or so as to addleaves thereto different characters must be carried, but this is not ordinarily desirable.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that the spacers keys on the com fronting leaves 38 from becoming entangled with each other and being caught with. each other. These separators or spacers 35 play an importna-t a lateral leaf 38 be'disposed to swing-in operation. With the separators or spacers 35', the lateral leaves 38 bear against the separators 35 andthehingedlaterakleaves swing to a closed position new-key blanks Figure kjii desired.

- is an easy blank from the clip and 'the blank maybe readily placed back on these in case more sizes or keys of whereas if no separators 35 wereusedfthe lateral leaves .would tend to catch on each other.

Because of the fact that the inner ends of the I lateral leaves 38 are angularly bent, the of theseleaves are held in spaced relation to the main leafand this prevents the keys coming entangledor mixwith each other. will be seen from. Figure 2, either one of the auxiliary hinged leaves 38 maybe turned backward so that access maybe readily had to the in-- side face of this leaf or to'the confronting face of the main leaf and in fact when the main'leaf is in a medial position with reference to the opening 15, both leaves may be turned back sufficiently far to permit ready access to the keys on the inner face of the leaves. v

By providing the bar 42 on each clip or holder 41 with a bent portion at an angle of about 25, through the cotter eyes if; until the free partof the pin or clip is'raised cut away from its normal By lifting the body of the holder outward and upward, the end 4:5. of the bar 42 bereadily slipped back out position as shown Figure 9.

of the eyes.

This is not done for the purpose of permitting a bunch of keys to be removed but this is only from be- 1 AS bodies i5 wl'iich extends outward I the pin will not pass itate thev stocking of 'a' ofjkey blanks at a time. -lit clips of holders grouped as to capacity for individual need. 1 1

Thefleaves 32 and 38' may have a plurality of therefore, to rearrange the that they may be grouped oriJreholes through them so as to permit rearrange- I of the eyes 40 closer toor further apart; of smalleror a lateralleaves three-fifthsthat of the main leaves arev disposed normally in para from each other to permit clips larger capacity to be The which have a width of about allel relation-to the corresponding rnain. leaf-a distance of approximatelytwice the diameter of articles desired to be stored or filed. This veryi greatly'increases the storage capacity of' the leaves and the fact that these lateral leaves are pi'votally mounted on the main leaves allows practicallya fiat or front view of any leaf.

Theinain leaves are preferably lettered for in dex' reference with the letters B, C, D, etc; while the left side leaves carry the letter L and the right leaves carry thclettefR. Blank and index pocket sheets are numbered 1, 2, 6, referring to the numbers on the leaves adjacent the key clips. Thus in order to locate irnmediatelya key blank listed No. 3.590 in the manufacturers catalogue we give this key blank as index number;BLl. blank, we turn the leaves, stop at the main sheet B, push the side leaf L to theright, thereby exposingthe No. 1 holder to view on which the blanks willbe found and in fromwhich this case the clip described.

Letters Land R are used to identify atpnce from corresponding like letters placed alfohgthe the Independent Lock Co, #10 Key Blank No. 1026 is listed, for instance, on page 83.

3, 4, 5 and In order to find this blank is taken is left unhooked, the articles will not spill or slide off of the clip owing to the formation of the clip as previously p I. indexthis blank by adding to this" catalogue listing tion in the cabinet.- Assuming that an empty b I holder is found on the left side leaf of main sheet A, I note the number of the holder as painted on the leaf as being #10 and we then add this to-the catalogue listing asAL-IO denoting that we have that particular blank filed on the left side sheet of main sheet A. Pictures or cuts in catalogues kept by the locksmith, which cuts carry no index extensions indicate that those keys are notin the shop. Those that are indexed are found instantly, thus permitting the locksmith to wait on a customer promptly and at a profit or avoid time consuming searches with no success. a

The spacer leaves or separators are also indexed as these leaves may be used for holding any key cutting data which data continually comes to the locksmith as new model locks are devised and applied. Thus each year, new model cars are put out and'thelocks on these cars require that a locksmith shallhave data relating I to how to pick these particularlocks and how the keys can be duplicated. written out and pasted or otherwise attached to the separator leaves and when so placed, is convenient for examination and is so indexed beside the cuts of the new looks as furnished by the lock company catalogues as to be readily found at a Thus; for instance, a picgreatsaving of time. v

a catalogue coming to the tureof a new look in locksmiths hands maybe indexed as Seel Left "top sketch,

meaning'see separator leaf #1 on the left side, the sketch at'the top and on this separator leaf there is shown a scale-detail. of the new lockfor a certain make of 1934 cars. Thus it will be seen that this cabinet is not only capable of being used for the support of key blanks and 1 other blanks coacting therewith but is capable of supporting for convenient reference all data relating to'new or old locks.

The leaves are made removable because in some cases on big jobs or out of town jobs, it may be necessary to take out the leaf having thereon quite a collection of key blanks to select from.

The locksmith can then carry the whole sheet containing blanks of that nature to the town where the job is to be performed and then upon his return theleaf may be set back into place in the cabinet. Under ordinary circumstances, however, the sheets or leaves are not intended to be removed asthe removal of sheets in the cabinet hinders proper operation as that allows too much slap whereas any addition above the prearranged number of sheets overcrowds to where operation would be diiiicult. Of course, in a large business, the sheets in the cabinet may be kept for live stock and sheets with key blanks'very seldom used or needed might be removedfrom the cabinet and placed where these sheets could be very readily found if needed. This provides a plan for keeping old and obsolete stock in such condition, however, that the stock may be quickly found if needed.

, The tag previously referred to andshown in Figure 4 and designated by the numeral 54 is provided for stock replenishing and may contain the manufacturers number, movement, with catalogue and page reference and possible such other reference as will properly identify the article This information is changes might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the apparallel relation thereto, and article supporting means carried on the main and lateral leaves.

2. A cabinet of the character describedincluding an outer casing having adoor opening and door, a shaft extending through the casing a sleeve rotatable on the shaft, a series of rigid main leaves pivotally carried on the sleeve, a pair of angular leaves hinged one on each side of each main leaf for movement into or out of parallel relation thereto, and article supporting means carried on both faces of the main and hinged leaves.

3. A cabinet of the character described including a support, a vertical rotatable element mounted on said support'and having flanges at its upper and'lower ends, a leaf detachably and pivotally engaged with said flanges for rotation with the rotatable element and swinging movement independent thereof, lateral leaves disposed one on'each side of the main leaf, the rear ends of the lateral leaves being angularly bent and hingedly engaged with the main leaf whereby the main leaf and the lateral leaves may be heldin parallel spaced relation, and means on opposite; sides of the threeleaves for supportotally carried on the sleeve, angular leaves disposed one oneach sideof each main leaf, the rear ends of the angular leaves extending inward and being hinged to the main leaf, and a series of spacer leaves detachably and pivotally connected to the sleeve and disposed between each set of main and lateral leaves, the main and lateral leaves having means whereby articles may be suspended therefrom. g

5. ma cabinet of the character described and having anfarticle supporting leaf, eyes projecting from the leaf and a clip upon which articles may be supported, said clip being formed of resilient wire and bent to form a rectangular figure, one bar of the clip being adapted to pass through the eyes, theparallel bar ofthe clip havinga portion extending to the first named bar and a' hook to engage thereover, the free end of the first named bar beingangularly bent outward whereby it will wedge against the eyes through which:

the supporting bar is passed and prevent the withdrawal of the clip with the angular portion thereof against the leaf.

- bar and a hook to engage thereover, the freeend of the first named bar being angularly bent outward.

7. A cabinet of the character described includuntil the clip is turned 6. A clip upon which articles may be supported ing an outer casing having a dooropening and a door, a shaft extending vertically through the casing, a series of rigid main leaves in normally radial relation to the shaft, means for supporting the main leaves for rotation as a unit around said shaft, and for individual swinging movement, and lateral leaves hinged on the sides of the main leaves for swinging movement into and out of parallel relation thereto.

8. A cabinet of the character described includ ing an outer casing having a door opening and a door, a vertical shaft extending through the C343. ing, a series of rigid leaves in radial relation to the shaft, means at the lowerends of the leaves for operatively supporting said leaves for rotation as a unit around the shaft and for individual swinging movement, and means for supporting the upper ends of the leaves for rotation around the shaft as a unit and for individual swinging movement comprising a member rotatably mounted upon the shaft and having a series of openings and looped links having their inner ends rotatably engaged in said openings, the upper ends of the leaves having downwardly and at its lower end enlarged inwardly inclined slots with which theloops of the links engage.

9. Ina cabinet, a base having a central boss, a casing; wall carried on the base and having a door opening, a removable top for the casing wall,

a shaft extending vertically through the base and through said top and having a nut holding the top inplace, a sleeve surrounding the shaft and wardly over the boss for rotation thereon, a nut engaging the lowerend of the enlargement on the sleeve, the sleeve having a flange above the nut, the upper end of the sleeve having a flange, leaves detachably and pivotally engaging with the first and second named flanges, and a door disposed within the casing wall and having upper and lower sector-shaped portions disposed adjacent the base and top respectively, the lower of said sector-shaped portions embracing the enlarged lower end of the sleeve above the nut thereon and being supported by said nut, the

upper sector-shaped portion embracing the shaft below the top for turning movement on the shaft.

LENNIE- G. W. MORGAN.

and extending down- 

